Zinc is a cofactor. While N-benzylformamide is the best substrate, the enzyme from Arthrobacter pascens can also act on the N-substituted formamides N-butylformamide, N-allylformamide, N-[2-(cyclohex-1-enyl)ethyl]formamide and N-(1-phenylethyl)formamide, but much more slowly. Amides of other acids do not act as substrates.